How to Control Fair Dice
Dice in various forms have been around as long as man has been able to count -- as have conflicts over the legality and techniques of their use. Archaeologists have discovered dice dating back to 6000 B.C., making dice the earliest known gambling pastime. It was thought the gods determined the outcome of a roll, and dice have been used to determine rulers and distribute inheritances, and even today are used to predict the future. With the outcome of results becoming so important, techniques of gaining the correct result, by whatever means, have long been studied and practiced.
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Instructions
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Checking the Dice
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A 7, the result of a 2 and 5, is indicative of a normal roll of the dice. Roll two dice, multiple times into a level area, by hand and using the shaker; note the results. Fair dice will score 7 the most times, followed by 6 and 8; 5 and 9; 4 and 10; and 3 and 11, with 2 and 12 rolled the least. Allow for slight variations.
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Feel the weight distribution. Loaded dice would feel unevenly balanced. Loaded dice can be made to favor any number, though 6 and 1 are the most common examples.
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Check that all numbers occur. Add up the opposite sides of the dice -- all should equal 7.
Shake, Rattle and Roll
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Use a shaker, as required in backgammon, whenever possible. This eliminates the possibility of controlling the roll of the dice when thrown by hand, as in craps.
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How the dice are held can affect the outcome of the roll. Be aware of the lock grip. When this is employed the dice thrower will shake his hand, and you will hear the dice rattle, but the dice will not have moved out of position.
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Be aware of dice setting. Combined with the lock grip, this method of holding the dice eliminates two sides of each die landing uppermost, thus reducing the odds. The thrower will hold two die faces against each other as they are thrown.
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Be aware of the controlled roll. This occurs when the dice rotate about just one axis, again reducing the odds of how they come to rest.
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Check the condition of the area that the dice land on. A surface sprinkled with salt causes the dice to slide rather than roll. Altering the angle of trajectory can influence the outcome of the throw.
The Rules
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The center die is not flat. Roll all dice again. Implement the "cocked dice" rule. If any die is not flat on its base, all dice must be rolled again.
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Implement the "bounce-back" rule. All dice must bounce off a wall, as in craps.
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Implement the "dice on table" rule. If any dice rolls out of bounds, all dice must be re-rolled.
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Tips & Warnings
Observe dice supplied. Ask yourself whether they could be easily substituted if a distraction arose. Vary the dice you supply; this will prevent them from being substituted.
Use a plastic tumbler as a shaker.
On an open table, limit where a die can come to rest. Declare that they have to remain on the board, for example.
Be subtle in your observations.
Do not confront suspected perpetrators; leave a game if you suspect cheating is going on.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit red dice 2 image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com dice in hand image by Richard Seeney from Fotolia.com dice image by sarka from Fotolia.com
